The Darkness Fades to the Light
by AnHeiressofaSOLDIER
Summary: Nothing is constant. One or two tweaks can be the catalyst for a different set of events. What if everything we knew about Aqua was changed? Would events unfold the same way? Or would Aqua fall victim to something else? For Alacquiene. Slight AU.


**A Prologue of Sorts**

Aqua places her long curly hair behind her ear, but it isn't her main concern. She looks around the airport terminal cautiously. It is flooded with people, and even after overlooking her country from her balcony… it isn't something she is accustomed to. She has never even spoken to anyone outside her palace.

"Ms., will that be cash or charge?" Aqua's lapis lazuli colored eyes lock onto the woman, but just barely. She cannot focus and it is almost as though her eyes truly are water; it's nearly impossible to see through them.

Aqua clears her throat to regain her composure—something un-Princess like to do—and asks in a crystal clear voice, "Pardon me?"

The clerk in front of her—a plump woman with graying hair, and spectacles around her nose—sighs agitatedly. "Have you the money to pay for your fare or not?"

Aqua is momentarily taken aback by the woman's tone. She had thought her some common thief? Was it only Aqua's meager appearance that had caused her to characterize her that way?

"Would cash be alright?"

The clerk looks hesitant for a moment, but when Aqua flashes her large amount of bills in front of her face, the woman smiles like the Cheshire Cat. "Enjoy your flight, Ms. _Phony_." The last is said to acknowledge that she knows Aqua gave her none of the required information. The Princess shakes her head at how different the woman acted when money was on the table. Then again, as she hadn't been a charmer to start with, money didn't really better her, either.

"Excuse me, but I need bus tokens for when I land. The munny was supposed to supply me with those as well." Aqua's voice is but a wisp of the air. The woman has long since departed to carry out another "duty". Even in Aqua's generosity she's been gypped. How the Princess wishes she were home! She isn't made out for this kind of thing! How is she supposed to know what people to trust? How is she supposed to know the correct means to travel? How was she, of all people, supposed to be deceiving?

Feeling the exhaustion of the prier days catch up to her, Aqua slumps down to the ground. Her knees rest under her chin and her arms wrap around herself. It is her palms that hide her tears. Hitting her head on a divider is punishment for her emotional breakdown. She imagines she tastes blood in her mouth, but who knows? She's been overly dramatic before.

"That woman totally ripped you off." Aqua doesn't immediately look up at the inclusion of an emotionless voice. After all, if she had to guess, the woman had robbed tons of others in the past. Who was to say he wasn't speaking to someone suffering much the same way? "Don't you know not to give away money until you're given what you've bought." Aqua does look up then; the voice she hears is truly condescending, and Aqua realizes he _must_ be talking to her. Yes, only she could have been stupid enough to not know that.

"I don't get out much." Aqua says it curtly; she says it politely, but with a final air. The girl wonders why she's replying to the stranger at all! Hadn't Master Yen Sid warned her enough?

"The stars can be eclipsed as much as the sun and moon. I can't say for sure what will happen, but be vigilant. Your destined killer might eclipse his Darkness like clouds block the sun."

Aqua's pulled back to reality as she feels the rug move beneath her. It can only mean one thing: the mystery boy had sat down beside her. Aqua subtly scoots away from him. And somehow, even though she's still not looking up, she can imagine the smug look he wears on his face as he scoots even closer to her. "You know, what you said was the understatement of the century. Look at your hair! You obviously know nothing of style." He goes as far as to tease one of her strands.

Aqua, now irritated, is quick to shoot a blizzard spell at him. "It might be the 'norm' to have cropped hair in every color under the sun, but my hair is the style that has been kept in many noble families." _The_ noble family. The reminder at what she's lost is almost too much for Aqua. She hides behind her chocolate locks just so she can see them. Her hair... is exactly like her mother's had once been.

"Which family?"

It isn't lost to Aqua that something is brimming behind the curiosity. And for the first time since he approached her, she feels an inkling of fear. "Haven't you ever heard of wishful thinking? I'm trying to improve my social status through emulation."

"Those are big words." Aqua finally forces herself to look at the boy beside her, and she can't help but marvel at how handsome he is. His muscles are clearly defined even through baggy pants and a sweater. (Aqua wonders if he wears these so he can easily note people's obvious staring.) His eyes are a hypnotic shade of gold, but it's the black spikes of hair that makes Aqua classify him as beautiful. "If you want to change your future I can't imagine a better place to go than The Keyblade Graveyard. Being there sets everyone in the right direction. You might should give it a chance."

Aqua wonders if she looks like a fish the way she's gaping at him. He was crazy! Why would she ever go there? The people were too skilled, the place too historic. She needed to leave the spotlight, and not fan the flames by staying in the world of choices.

And yet, she decides instantly it is what she _must_ do.

The mesmerizing boy beside her smiles like the devil himself. "Vanitas," he says as he offers Aqua his hand to take.

Aqua instantly returns the gesture, but instead places both hands atop his, and holds them there for a moment. "My name is Aqua."

Vanitas' eyes instantly take on a calculating light. Aqua clutches her heart in desperation. Why did her new friend have to be so suspicious? "Both of our names seem to be Latin."

"So?" Aqua raises a perfectly sculpted eyebrow uninterestedly. But on the inside she's reeling. She's made too many mistakes already! Had it been a foolish move to choose an alias so close to her real name. No one knew what she looked like, but..."

Once again, Vanitas' face was mischief and darkness incarnate. "Consider this a gift to my soul sister."

Aqua has to instantly reach forward to catch what he's thrown towards her. But even that isn't as fast as the gasp she ends up unleashing. "How did you-" Words escape Aqua. In her hands is all of the money she should have gotten back. But there were bus tickets to boot.

"Let's just say that woman will never betray her responsibilities again." Vanitas is distracted as he says this. His view is locked on something towards the far left wall. Aqua follows his eyes, but he soon stands up and blocks her gaze. "It was nice meeting you, Aqua. But I've got to go. Now that you have a choice, I hope you choose the Keyblade Graveyard."

"I would like to make that choice. Let me think it over. But we'll see each other again, regardless. Our Lights will lead us to each other."

"That'd be some 'thank you'." There's something off about his works, but Aqua all too easily ignores it. She stands up and waves goodbye to Vanitas. When he's gone, she stares at her belongings in awe.

It'd be three years later that she learned just how her friend had slaughtered the clerk.

**Author's Note: So… I probably won't finish this until after **_**Stand There and Watch Me Burn**_**. As this is for Alacquiene, I'll have her decide, as the story unfolds, who she wants Aqua to end up with. So even though this is under Vanitas/Aqua, expect Terra/Aqua, Ven/Aqua, and Zack/Aqua, too.**

**Anyway, this story is mostly canon to KH. But there will be a few differences. For one, Aqua is a Princess of Heart instead of Kairi. Actually, her name and look are inspired by Ursula from Disney's **_**George of the Jungle **_**movie. For the purposes of this story, Aqua needed a different identity. And I thought I might as well have her be inspired by a real Disney "princess". Yes, I consider her a sort of princess. I mean, George was the "king" of the jungle, so…**

**Anyway, the similarities stop there. Though Aqua's first appearance is **_**somewhat **_**based off what she looked like. Also, **_**The Little Mermaid**_** is a movie and not a world in this. When she said her name was "Aqua", it reminded Vanitas of how her real name, Ursula, was shared with the evil sea witch in **_**The Little Mermaid**_**. **

**Aqua's name means water, the one Ursula was a sea witch… yeah, having the alias "Aqua" might not be the best idea for her. LOL As you can probably tell, Vanitas pretty much knows who she is already.**

**Yes, Xehanort is trying to kill the Princesses of Heart in this story. More on that later.**

**Basically, this starts off right after Xehanort created Vanitas from Ven. So Vanitas is eleven (physically) and Aqua is thirteen. This story, thought somewhat different, is also a, "What would have happened if Aqua met Vanitas first and trained under Xehanort?" fic. Aqua was originally going to train under Eraqus, but dazzling Vanitas sways her.**

**Oh. And for the purpose of this story, all the girls will have short hair in any color. So you might see a girl with short blue hair;)**

**Yes, Aqua will be more Aqua like later. She will also end up having her short, straight blue hair. Oh! And her blue eyes, too. **

**Also, the lay of certain lands might be altered, too.**

**Well, I hope you enjoyed. Until next time!**

**P.S. Has anyone else noticed that most of the KH girls have short hair? **


End file.
